This invention relates to exercising apparatus of the isometric type and, more particularly, to a golfer's exerciser for producing isometric development of the muscles used in the golf swing.
Golfers typically have limited opportunities for developing the musculature used during the golf swing. During the winter months, when outside activities are restricted, inactivity or inability to exercise produces a weakening in the arm and shoulder muscles and other muscles which come into play during the golf swing, resulting in decreased ball striking force and slower swing of the golf club than desired for long, straight, accurate drives. Therefore, golfers have a continual need to develop and increase the strength of those muscles which are utilized during the actual swing of the club and particularly at the moment of impact with the ball.
Isometric exercise is a well known technique for improving the strength of muscles. But apparatus particularly intended for and truly useful for golfers' development of the particular muscles used during the golf swing and striking of the ball has not be available. Such exercising equipment as has existed has been inefficient and generally unsuited for attaining efficient strengthening of the particular musculature utilized by a golfer.
A golf swing-conditioner disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,848,234 allows a golfer to use a club-simulative handle to stretch a cord as the handle is moved through portions of the golf swing. However, this arrangement does not allow a precise application of isometric force by the golfer at the point of impact with the ball, there being no way of determining in fact when the handle is at a position corresponding to its proper position at the time actually corresponding to the striking of a ball. Moreover, the user is severely limited by the elastic nature of the cord and thus cannot develop greater isometric force than determined by its elastic properties. Another problem is that one end of the cord must be tethered to extrinsic structure.
A golf indoor practice device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,016 also suffers from similar disadvantages. This device, which has a handle tied to a long, stretchy spring having one end connected to a platform, is possibly detrimental to muscle development in that, once the golfer has moved the club-simulative handle past some vaguely-defined center position to begin a swing, the spring tends to return the handle so that one exerts muscle force in the direction opposite from that needed during the swing. Other exercising devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,561,758; 3,747,925; and 4,328,964 but these, too, fail to provide isometric development of those muscles especially needed during the golfer's swing at the moment of impact with the ball.
None of such prior art apparatus provides to the user an accurate dynamic indication of the development of a level of isometric force which is needed to be able to assure the user of developing the required musculature, particularly noting that isometric exercise is of little value unless a requisite minimum force can be developed which will cause actual stimulation and growth of muscle tissue.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved exerciser of the isometric type, and particularly useful by a golfer for developing the musculature utilized during the golfer's swing, and especially at the point of impact with the ball.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such an improved exerciser which precisely orients a golf club-simulative member for being grasped by the user in the precise orientation which prevails at the exact point of impact of the golf club when striking a ball, as well as indicating to the golfer proper placement of the feet for promoting the desired stance at the time the club strikes the ball and thereby achieving not only improved strength but also conditioning the golfer, through habit and practice, to utilize proper stance and positioning of the muscles.
Another object of the invention is the provision of such an exerciser which will provide to the golfer a dynamic, realistic indication of the application of the requisite minimum isometric force for stimulating and causing growth of the musculature needed for efficient, powerful swinging of the club, as well as providing the user with the ability to adjust the exerciser to preselect such minimum force so that indication will be given only upon exceeding the preselected minimum.
A further object of the invention is the provision of such an exerciser which is adjustable according to the personal measurements and preferences of a golfer; which is of compact, easily stored character; and which can be disassembled and compactly packaged for shipment or the like.
Briefly, the new golfer's exerciser of the isometric type includes a golf club-simulative member having a shaft grippable at its upper end in the manner of a golf club. The grip-remote end of said club-simulative member is pivotally affixed at a precise position in front of the user for presenting the shaft in an orientation simulative of the position of a golf club at the moment of impact of the golf club with a ball. An elongated guide member extends forwardly from the platform between the user's feet, the affixing structure having a fixture slidable along the elongated guide member to a selected position in front of the user. A dynamic indicator carried by the fixture provides resilient interconnection of said grip-remote end with an affixing structure for dynamically resisting movement of the grip-remote end laterally away from an initial position defined by the affixing structure, but permitting such movement from the initial position only upon user development of a predetermined minimum dynamic force of ball-striking character, as determined by a coil spring, the tension of which has been preset by the user. Such movement thus provides the user with dynamic indication of a ball-striking force exerted by the user of magnitude sufficient for development of the user's musculature.
Other object and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinbelow.